“Well, you ate all of them.” Faith's voice wobbled. “He paddled me because I didn't keep him away from them.”
The tight anger in Baya's tone roughed his voice. “We're coming, Faith. We'll be there tomorrow. Can you have your suitcases packed?”
Faith didn't say anything at first, and her sobs started up again. “He'll paddle me again,” she cried.
“No, he won't,” Daniel said. “I won't let him.”
“Me, either,” Hope agreed.
Baya felt an urgency growing inside him. “Get packed. We're coming.”
“Be strong, baby. It will be all right,” Bonnie's voice soothed.
Baya stretched the phone cord to look around the corner.
Tears ran down Bonnie's face, but her voice was steady and strong
,
as she told her oldest child what to do. Baya wanted to comfort her, but the cord on the kitchen phone was too short to reach the hall and he didn't want to miss anything the children said.
When she had finished and the sobs on the other end had turned to sniffles, he talked to Daniel. “You take care of those girls. If it upsets your father for you to build tents, then don't.”
“There's nothing to do and we're not allowed outside.”
“I know, but we will be there tomorrow. Be strong. Isn't there something you could play inside?”
The boy grumbled but agreed to watch TV with the girls.
“Help with the dishes, too,” Baya urged.
“That's girl work.” The arrogance in the boy's voice shocked Baya.
“Since when?”
“Dad said I didn't have to do dishes. He said that was women's work.”
Bonnie was shaking her head warningly, so he stilled the hasty reply on his lips but his voice grew harsh. “Pack, boy. I'm coming.”
After Bonnie made certain the children were calm, they hung up the phones.
“Call an airline. We'll get on the next available flight.”
“It costs so much,” she whispered. He nodded in agreement and they stared at each other with bleak eyes. “I could go alone. It would save on the cost.”
“I met the man, Bonnie. I don't want you to have to deal with him on your own. I'm pretty sure that's what he wants, to have you alone were he can berate you.”
She nodded. “But I have handled it alone before.”
The sound of a throat clearing had them glancing at the dining room doorway.
“I have some frequent flyer miles I'll never use. I can transfer them to someone for a small fee.” Todd cleared his throat again.
When the shock of his interruption wore off, Bonnie asked, “Why?”
“I don't fly.”
Baya couldn't imagine the man being afraid of anything. He could hold his own against most anything.
The man met his gaze. “It will help with the cost.”
“You're afraid to fly?” Baya just had to ask.
“It's a long story,” the man sighed. “I swore an oath I'd never fly again after the first Gulf War. The company gives flyer miles to the employees so they can see their families regularly. I always drive.”
Dick jerked his head toward his foreman. “Our local hero here won't go up in the big silver bird, so you may as well use them. It's not the first time he's given them away.”
Baya looked into eyes as dark as his own. He read only truthfulness and concern in their depth, so he nodded an acceptance and thanks all rolled into that one motion. “Bonnie, get ready. We'll need three extra places for the trip back.” He handed the phone to Todd. “Bonnie keeps a notepad and pencil on the counter by the phone.” He followed Bonnie up the stairs, but paused, not knowing what else to say. “Thanks.”
The face softened slightly. “It's for the family I was always too busy to have.”
Baya understood the explanation; this generous offer was for all Todd had missed, and all Baya had gained when the brindle bull drove him off the road and into this partnership.
Todd nodded and moved into the kitchen, closing the door.
Dick walked to the entranceway and stared out the glass panels framing the old door. He gripped his hands behind his back, looking over the lush green valley and nodding to unspoken thoughts.
15
Once they had visited the lawyer and picked up the court order, Baya had driven slowly up to the modest house wondering what was waiting for them besides the children. He didn't expect to see Ed outside washing his truck.
The door opened and Daniel pushed through, struggling to pull the large suitcase behind him.
Ed walked over to the car as Bonnie stepped out. “What are you doing here? This is my time with the kids.” He followed Bonnie's gaze to his front door and saw Daniel and the suitcase. “Get back in the house, you're not going anywhere.”
But the kids kept coming.
He grabbed Faith by the arm and jerked her towards the door. “I told you to get in that house.”
Faith gave a little cry and cringed, trying to remove her arm from her father's grasp.
Bonnie slammed the car door and went after him.
Baya's mouth dropped open as his sedate little wife turned into a screaming banshee.
“You two-bit sharecropper. How dare you manhandle that child?”
Ed moved to keep the vehicle between the two of them.
“How dare you come to our home and take my kids just so you can bully and abuse them?” She countered every move he made to escape. “You are never going to see these children without supervision again. Do you understand me, you jumped up excuse for a father?”
Baya walked up to Ed and handed him the court order. “I believe these papers will make it very clear what you can expect in the future. If you want to visit our kids, there will be room to do so at the ranch. We will welcome you, but you will not be allowed to whip or bully them anymore.”
Ed's face was pale enough freckles showed on his taut cheeks. “These are my children⦔
“You⦔ Baya softened his voice, keeping his rage in check. “â¦don't have the right to call them your children if you don't treat them as a father should. A father's love is supposed to be constant, unselfish and giving. The only thing you've given them is heartache. Listen carefully, Ed. You will not touch these children in anger or harshness again.”
“I'll take you to court.” The man sputtered.
Bonnie moved to stand in front of him. “You better read those papers, first. You have been recommended to receive counseling before you see the kids again. We're leaving with them. If you wish to say goodbye you need to do it now.”
~*~
Bonnie settled into the airplane's stiff seat. Beside her, Faith curled around Hope. Behind her, Baya had Daniel cradled into his side.
She was still raging from the anger that had barreled her around the truck, shouting at Ed. Shamefully, she recognized that Baya had behaved much more civilly than she had.
When the sobs had settled and the angry words from her ex-husband had been stemmed, Baya had calmly gathered the kids in a group around him and told Ed the terms of the court order, including the fact that he could call the children on Friday evenings before nine and he could visit the ranch any day of the week, but Saturdays were reserved for Baya and Bonnie's family time.
They would be home before Dick and Todd had to get back to the job site.
Baya shifted and stood. He carried Daniel forward and motioned her to get up. Placing the sleeping boy in the seat and snapping the seatbelt around him he pulled her back to sit with him. The man next to him grinned and suddenly became absorbed in his book.
“This may be the only time we get alone.” He settled back. “Do you think Ed will make waves about our kids?”
“Maybe he'll let it go. He can't afford to carry on a long distance lawsuit. Besides, it isn't as much fun to harass me with you as a protector. I don't think he realized that you actually included the kids under your strong-arm tactics.” She paused, smiling at him. “You like them, don't you?”
“Can't do without them,” his reply rumbled. Then he gave a teasing wink. “If I don't have their help, I have to put up with Dick and Todd. The choice is obvious. They're smaller, it takes less to feed them.” He lowered the arm between them and pulled her against him. “I like having a family. I'm just not sure what to do with them.”
She settled against his shoulder. “I've had them since their birth and I'm still not sure. Why should you get off any easier, cowboy?”
~*~
Todd was waiting for them at the airport. The ride back to the ranch was noisy with exclamations and plans on what the children wanted to do when they got home.
“Your church sent a few men over and we got the rest of the cattle gathered. I'm thinking we probably need to check the slopes once more and see if we can find stragglers.”
“The church did what?” Baya stared at Todd.
“The pastor came with a truck and trailer. He and three of the elders brought their horses to help muster. I thought you had asked them.” Todd slanted a look his way.
Baya shook his head and glanced back at Bonnie.
Her smile was serene as she gave him a nod.
The church had come to help? Baya turned his attention to Todd. “What did they say?”
“Dick explained about the trip to Florida. Then, we mounted up and rode out. Those men knew this ranch and just where the cattle would be. Made the round up mighty easy.”
Stunned into silence, Baya stared sightlessly out the windshield.
Hope sat up front, strapped in between the two men, her thumb in her mouth as she stared up at Todd. “Are you his brother?” she finally asked.
Todd looked down at her and smiled. “No.”
“You look like him.”
The two men turned to each other in horror.
“Yeah, you do,” Daniel piped up. “You got all that black hair and stuff.”
“Don't be so stupid, Daniel. He's Native American.” Faith pointed to Todd.
“Is not.”
“Aren't you?” Faith met the foreman's eyes in the mirror. “Tell him you're Native American.”
“Why do you think I'm Native American?”
She frowned at him. “You're not all hairy. Baya has hair on his chest and a big mustache. You don't and you are dark brown. You're hair is a blue black and his is red black.”
“Well, now you're half right.”
“Half right?”
“I'm half Native American. You're a smart little thing.” Todd chuckled.
Baya noticed the intent look Bonnie was giving Todd. A fissure of fear ran through him. He glanced at the man driving. He shifted in the seat.
They crested the hill, and the valley spread out in front of them. Then the truck drove under the shady trees of the long dirt road to the ranch.
Faith burst into tears.
Daniel stared at her. “We're home now, Faith. You can quit crying.” He turned a disgusted frown to Baya. “Girls are such crybabies.”
Faith was gripping the car door, sobbing against the window.
“Are you all right?” Bonnie asked.
The girl nodded. “I'm so glad to be home. I'm so glad.”
Bonnie and Baya's gazes met across the seat.
“You never have to leave again, girl,” Baya's voice soothed.
Tears pooled in Bonnie's eyes.
Faith just nodded and turned her face toward the pasture. “There's Gadfly and Socks. Look, Daniel, Isn't Much has grown.”
“Isn't Much?” Baya and Todd asked at the same time.
“The colt.” Hope removed her thumb and pointed to the old mare and the leggy colt the kids had rescued.
A burst of laughter poured out of Baya. Oh, yeah. Things were back to normal.
Bonnie chuckled. “Where did you get that name?”
“Baya said the mare isn't much more than crow bait,” Daniel answered. “So we named her Crow Bait and the baby Isn't Much.”
Baya reached back to rustle his hair affectionately. “Actually, the mama's name is One Bar Doxy, I found her papers. She's a grandchild of Doc Bar, and ya'll were right to save her. She probably has given the ranch its best foals, since she's one of the few papered brood mares. She's also twenty-eight years oldâI doubt we can breed her again.”
Todd bent his head to look at the swaybacked mare and the colt frisking around her. “You could probably get some money out of the colt.”
The kids spilled out of the truck.
Todd sauntered up the steps to the porch.
Baya had to stop unbuckling his seatbelt, as Hope scrambled over him in her hurry to open the front door.
Faith and Daniel raced to the pasture, with Hope bringing up the rear as fast as her plump little legs could carry her.
Bonnie leaned on the truck watching them, her face gentled with contentment and peace. After drawing a deep breath, she shut the door behind her and turned to where Dick stood on the porch waiting for them.
“I made some chili,” he grunted out a welcome. “Thought you might be hungry. I didn't mix up any cornbread, though.”
“Thank you, Dick. I have a cornmeal mix that will do and it will only take a minute.” Bonnie hugged the man as she walked by. “I don't know what we would have done without you and Todd.” She paused to kiss the tall foreman's cheek as he lounged against one of the porch posts. “I'll have everything ready in a minute.”
Todd turned to Dick. “Those kids will never be able to eat your chili. What's wrong with you, old man?”
“I toned it down. I'm not a complete imbecile,” the old man grumbled. “I left out some of my best ingredients.”
Todd snorted. “Like road kill?”
“What's come over you?” Dick narrowed his eyes at his foreman. He was gazing after the children with what looked to Baya like longing. Straightening away from the porch post, he shook himself like a rising dog and turned to the two men. “That Faith girl is really smart, ain't she?”